Ranger timer switch assembly having interlocking lever for preventing automatic operation in the manual mode position

ABSTRACT

A range timer or the like having a first movable selector for selecting a starting time for a timing operation of the timer and having a second movable selector for selecting a stopping time for the timing operation as well as for selecting a manual operation of the timer. A single lever is pivotally carried by the timer and is engageable by the first and second selectors, the lever having means for locking the second selector in the manual position thereof when the manual operation is selected thereby. The first selector has a part for engaging the lever and moving the same to an unlocking position thereof when the first selector is moved to a time selecting position thereof.

United States Patent 1 Niemand Oct. 28, 1975 [75] Inventor: Emil Niemand, Waterbury, Conn.

[73] Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company,

Richmond, Va.

22 Filed: Oct.25, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 409,480

[52] US. Cl. 200/38 FA; 200/35 R [51] Int. Cl. H01H 43/00 [58] Field of Search.... 200/33 R, 35 R, 37 A, 38 R, 200/38 A, 38 FA, 38 FB, 39 R, 39 A, 38 F;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,253,929 8/1941 Campbell 200/38 FA 3,005,062 10/1961 Zagorski 200/35 R X 3,038,041 6/1962 Zagorski 200/38 FA 3,124,668 3/1964 Zagorski et a1 200/38 FA 3,169,177 2/1965 Zagorski 200/38 A 3,358,924 12/1967 Goodhouse et al. 219/492 X 3,581,026 5/1971 Losert 3,686,450 8/1972 Willis 200/38 FA Primary Examiner-James R. Scott Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Candor, Candor & Tassone [5 7] ABSTRACT A range timer or the like having a first movable selector for selecting a starting time for a timing operation of the timer and having a second movable selector for selecting a stopping time for the timing operation as well as for selecting a manual operation of the timer. A single lever is pivotally carried by the timer and is engageable by the first and second selectors, the lever having means for locking the second selector in the manual position thereof when the manual operation is selected thereby. The first selector has a part for engaging the ,lever and moving the same to an unlocking position thereof when the first selector is moved to a time selecting position thereof.

16 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet3of4 3,916,125

US. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet4 of4 3,916,125

RANGER TIMERSWITCII ASSEMBLY HAVING INTERLOCKING LEVER FOR PREVENTING AUTOMATIC OPERATION IN THE MANUAL MODE POSITION This invention relates to an improved range timer or the like.

It is well known that timers have been provided for cooking apparatus for automatically controlling a cooking operation of the apparatus by turning on the oven of the cooking apparatus at a preselected time in the future and then maintain the oven in an on condition thereof until after the lapse of a preselected time period.

For example, see the U.S. patent to Goodhouse et al, U.S. Pat. No.3,358,924.

It is a feature of this invention to provide an improved range timer of the above type which has unique means for controlling the sequence of operation of the time selecting means thereof.

the timer and has a second movable selector means for selecting a stopping time for the operation as well as for selecting a manual operation of the timer. A single lever is pivotally carried by the timer and is engageable by the first and second selector means, the lever having means for locking the second selector means in the manual position thereof when the manual operation is selected thereby. The first selector means has means for engaging the lever and moving the same to an unlocking position thereof when the first selector means is moved to a time selecting position thereof.

Thus, the first selector means can be utilized for setting the start time of a cooking operation or the like and the second selector means can be utilized to select a stopping time for such cooking operation, the second selector means also being adapted to be moved to a manual position thereof for permitting a continuous on operation of the cooking apparatus as will be apparent hereinafter.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved range timer or the like having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the improved range timer of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the range timer of FIG. ll.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear view of the range timer of FIG. 1 and rotated 180 from the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates the range timer with the electrical switch construction thereof removed.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 4,-FIGS. 1-7 illustrating the timer preset for a future timed cooking operation.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 5 and illustrating the lever of this invention during an automatic cooking operation.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 3 and illustrates the electrical switch construction of this invention when the range timer is in the condition of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 and illustrates the range timer when the same has completed a timed cooking operation thereof.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates schematically the switch construction of the timer when in the condition of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 8 and illustrates the range timer when set for a manual operation thereof.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 9 and illustrates schematically the electrical switch means during the manual operation of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 12 and illustrates the timer means during an initial attempt to preselect an automatic cooking operation thereof.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide a timer for the oven of a cooking apparatus or range, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide a timer means for other types of apparatus if desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the improved range timer of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral and is illustrated schematically in FIG. 3 for controlling the cooking operation of a cooking apparatus that is generally indicated by the reference numeral 21 and which includes an oven cavity that is generally indicated by the reference numeral 22-and contains an electrical heating means 23 to be controlled by a conventional thermostat 24 that is adapted to be fed electrical current for the heater means 23 by supply leads 25 and 26 respectively adapted to be interconnected to power source leads L1 and L2 by an electrical switch means 27 of this invention that forms part of the range timer 20 in a manner hereinafter described.

The range timer 20 includes a frame structure 28 for mounting the same to the cooking apparatus 21 and having a control panel means 29 provided with a conventional or digital, continuously running clock means 30 driven by suitable electrically operated motor means (not shown) contained in a housing 31 secured to the frame means 28.

The timer motor contained in the housing 31 is also adapted to continuously drive a gear 32 that is rotatably mounted to the frame means 28 by a shaft means 33 and which is disposed in meshing relation with a first timer gear 34 which is rotatably mounted to the frame means 28 on a bushing 35 held stationary in the frame means 28 whereby the gear 34 is adapted to continuously rotate on the bushing 35 as long as the timer motor is continuously operating. The timer first gear 34 is also disposed in meshing relation with an intermediate gear 36 which is also rotatably mounted to the frame means 28 and is disposed in meshing relation with a second timing gear 37 rotatably mounted on a bushing 38 fixed to the frame means 28.

The gears 32, 34, 36 and 37 have the peripheral teeth thereof so selected that each timing gear 34 and 37 is adapted to complete one revolution relative to the frame means 28 in each 12 hour period as will be apparent hereinafter.

If desired, the timer motor of the range timer 20 can also supply motor power for a minute timer means that is generally indicated by the reference numeral 39 in FIG. 1 and has a selector knob 40 for selecting a time period so that when the pointer 41 thereof is driven back to the off position as illustrated in FIG. 1, suitable mechanical mechanism will cause a bell 42 to be rung in a conventional manner, the minute timer 39 not forming a part of this invention.

The timer gears 34 and 37 each has a pair of outwardly directed tangs 43 for respectively being received in slot means 44 formed through first and second settable timer discs 45 and 46 respectively for the driven timer gears 34 and 37.

The settable timer discs 45 and 46 are respectively carried on shaft means 47 and 48 rotatably mounted respectively in the bushings 35 and 38 of the frame means 28 and having control knobs 49 and 50 on the .outer end thereof, the shaft means 47 and 48 respectively carrying pointer means 51 and 52 to be respectively set adjacent timer indicators 53 and 54 on the control panel means 29 as illustrated in FIG. 1 by rotation of the control knobs 49 and 50 as will be apparent hereinafter.

When the settable discs 45 and 46 are respectively disposed in the off condition as illustrated in FIG. and 11 in a manner hereinafter described, the drive timer gears 34 and 37 cause the settable discs 45 and 46 to rotate in unison therewith and thereby rotate the shafts 47 and 48 so that the respective pointers 51 and 52 thereof will continuously indicate on the time indicators 53 and 54 the actual time of day being produced at the clock means 30 as will be apparent hereinafter.

The electrical switch 27 comprises a housing means 55 carried by the frame means 28 and is provided with four terminals 56, 57, 58 and 59, the terminals 56 and 57 being adapted to be respectively interconnected to the power source leads L1 and L2 by leads 60 and 61. The terminals 58 and 59 are adapted to be respectively interconnected to the leads 25 and 26 of the oven thermostat 24.

The terminals 56 and 57 of the switch means 27 carry in cantilever fashion a pair of conductive spring switch blades 62 and 63 respectively having contact means 64 and 65 on the outer free ends thereof adapted to respectively cooperate with contact means 66 and 67 respectively carried on the outer free ends of another pair of spring switch blades 68 and 69 also carried in cantilevered fashion by the terminals 58 and 59.

The spring blades 62 and 63 have a normal bias toward each other and the switch blades 68 and 69 also have a normal bias toward each other as will be apparent hereinafter.

The housing 55 of the switch means 27 carries a pivotally mounted lever 70 that is pivotally mounted at points 70 to the housing 55 intermediate its opposed ends 71 and 72, the end 72 having side cam surfaces 73 for respectively camming against cam buttons 74 carried on the switch blades 62 and 63 so that when the end ,72 of the lever 70 is pivoted toward the frame means 28 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5, the cam surfaces 73 cam against the buttons 74 of the blades 62 and 63 and move the same outwardly relative to each other whereby the contacts 64 and 65 of the switch blades 62.and 63 are respectively moved outwardly to the position illustrated in FIG. 3 where the contacts 66 and 67 can never make contact therewith as will be apparent hereinafter so that no electrical current can be supplied to the thermostat 27 of the cooking apparatus 21 and, thus, to the heating means 23 thereof whereby the range timer 20 will maintain the oven 22 of the cooking apparatus 21 in an off condition thereof.

A compression spring 75 is disposed between the end 72 of the lever 70 and the housing means in such a manner that the same tends to pivot the end 72 of the lever 70 away from the frame means 28 so that the cam surfaces 73 are moved away from the buttons 74 to permit the natural bias of the spring blades 62 and 63 to move the movable contacts 64 and thereof toward each other to the position illustrated in FIG. 11 where the blades 62 and 63 come to rest against the surfaces 73 of the end 72 of the lever to limit further inward movement of the blades 62 and 63 for a purpose hereinafter described.

However, the shaft 47 for the first settable timer disc 45 has an end 76 thereof adapted to project through an opening 77 in the housing 55 of the switch 27 and engage against the end 71 of the lever 70 to pivot the lever 70 to the position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 when the knob 49 has been moved inwardly relative to the frame 29 to the time setting position thereof illustrated in FIG. 5 for a purpose hereinafter described.

Thus, the force of the compression spring acting on the lever 70 tends to pivot the lever 70 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5 to provide a force on the end 71 of the lever 70 to tend to drive the shaft 47 and its associated timer disc 45 upwardly in FIG. 5 to move the shaft 47 to a non-time selecting position thereof as will be apparent hereinafter.

A plunger 78 is disposed for axial movement in guide slot means 79 of the housing 55 and is urged toward the frame 28 by a compression spring 80 disposed between the plunger 78 and an end plate 81 of the switch housing 55, the plunger 78 bearing against the end 182 of the shaft 48 of the second settable timer disc 46 to tend moved outwardly so that the contact means 66 and 67 thereof are moved outwardly to cooperate with the contacts 64 and 65 of the blades 62 and 63 when the same are permitted to be moved inwardly by lever 70 as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 13 so as to complete an electrical circuit through the switch means 27 and thereby interconnect the power source leads L1 and L2 to the thermostat 24. Thus, if the thermostat 24 has its selector knob 84 turned to a cooking temperature position thereof, the thermostat 24 will operate the heater means 23 for the oven 22 to tend to maintain such cooking temperature in the oven 22 as long as the switch means 27 of this invention remains in the on position as illustrated in FIGS. 9 or 13 as will be apparent hereinafter.

However, when the plunger 78 is permitted to move upwardly from the position illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 as will be apparent hereinafter, the cam surfaces 82 of the plunger 78 permit the blades 68 and 69 to move inwardly toward each other in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11 so that even though the contacts 64 and 65 of the blades 62 and 63 have been moved inwardly to their closest position by the lever 70, no contact will ever be made between the cooperating pairs of contacts 64, 65, 66 and 67 under these conditions so 7 that no electrical current can be supplied to the thermostat 24 and, thus, to the heating means 23 of the oven 22 whereby the timer means is an off condition thereof.

A lever 87 of this invention is pivotally mounted to the frame means 28 on an axis 88 that corresponds to the same axis of rotation of the intermediate gear 36 as illustrated in FIG. 4, the lever 87 being somewhat L- shaped and defining a pair of arms 89 and 90. The arm 89 carries a disc-like member 91 adjacent the end 92 thereof and being spaced therefrom by a frustoconical cam portion 93 utilized in a manner hereinafter described, the disc part 91 being provided with ratchet teeth 94 on the outer periphery thereof and adapted to cooperate with ratchet teeth 95 on the outer periphery of the settable timer disc 45 when the same are disposed in aligned relation with each other as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 to provide a ratcheting operation therebetween as will be apparent hereinafter.

The arm 90 carries a stepped cylindrical abutment means 96 on the outer end 97 thereof, the stepped cylindrical means 96 comprises a first cylindrical part 98 adjacent the arm 90 and a stepped down cylindrical part 99 outwardly therefrom whereby an annular shoulder 100 is defined between the cylindrical parts 96 and 99 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A tension spring 101 has one end 102 thereof interconnected to the end 92 of the arm 89 of the lever 87 and another end 103 thereof interconnected to the frame 28 by a suitable post means 104 whereby the tension spring 101 tends to pivot the lever 87 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4 for a purpose hereinafter described, the lever 87 is cooperable with the timer discs 45 and 46 in a manner hereinafter described.

Thus, the timer disc 45 and its associated shaft 47 and control knob 49 form a first selector means 85 for the range time 20 and the second timer disc 46 and its associated shaft 48 and control knob 50 provide a second selector means 86 for the range timer 20 to be operated in a manner now to be described.

Assuming that the timer discs 45 and 46 respectively have their slot means 44 registering with the tangs 43 of the driven timer gears 34 and 37 as illustrated in FIG. 11 and the timer discs 45 and 46 are in their inward positions relative to the frame means 28 so that the tangs 43 will drive the discs 45 and 46 in unison with the gears 34 and 37, the compression spring 80 maintains the plunger 78 of the switch means 27 in its furtherest position toward the frame means 28 whereby the cam means 82 thereon causes the blades 68 and 69 to be disposed closest to each other as illustrated in FIG. 11. The compression spring 75 for the arm or lever 70 has pivoted the end 72 thereof away from the frame 28 so that the switch blades 62 and 63 are disposed in the closest position thereof toward each other in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11. However, with the blades 68 and 69 in the closest position thereof toward each other, the contacts 64 and 65 of the other blades 62 and 63 even though disposed in the closest position toward each other are still maintained out of contact with the contacts 66 and 67 so that no electrical current can be supplied to the thermostat 24 of the apparatus 21 and, thus, to the heater 23 whereby the range timer 20 is disposed in the off' position thereof and the indicating pointers 51 and 52 of the selector means 85 and 86 will be indicating the actual time of day on the dial faces 53 and 54 thereof that are shown on the clock 30 and will continue to so indicate such time as time elapses.

When the housewife or the like desires to utilize the oven 22 for a manual operation thereof, that is, to merely turn on the thermostat 24 and have the oven 22 maintain a cooking temperature therein as selected by the selector knob 84 until the housewife desires to turn off the thermostat 24 by the selector 84 thereof herself, and the range time 20 is in the of condition illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 wherein it can be seen that the inner or larger cylindrical part 98 of the lever 87 is riding against the outer peripheral surface 105 of the settable timer disc 46, the housewife merely pushes inwardly on the selector knob 50 of the second time selector means 86 to cause the shaft 48 and plunger 78 to be moved downwardly in FIG. 5 in opposition to the force of the compression spring until such plunger means 78 bottoms out in the guide slot 79 against a shoulder 106 thereof at which time the settable timer disc 46 has not only had its slots 44 been moved beyond the drive tangs 43 of the driving timer gear 37 as illustrated in FIG. 12 to free the disc 46 from driven relation from the gear 37, but also the outer periphery 105 of the settable timer disc 46 has moved beyond the larger cylindrical part 98 of the lever 87 so that the force of the tension spring 101 causes the lever 87 to pivot in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4 to position the smaller cylindrical part 99 of the lever 87 against the periphery 105 of the settable timer disc 46 whereby the annular shoulder 100 of the lever 87 is now positioned intermediate the timer disc 46 in the frame 28 so that when the housewife releases the selector knob 50, the force of the compression spring 80 tends to drive the shaft 48 and knob 50 back toward the frame 28 but is prevented from so doing by the shoulder 100 of the lever 87 whereby the lever 87 is disposed in a locking position to latch the selector timer disc 46 in the in position illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. With the timer disc 46 in this manual position as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the plunger 78 is maintained in its down position illustrated in FIG. 5 so that the switch blades 68 and 69 are cammed outwardly and are held outwardly in such a manner that the contacts 66 and 67 thereof are respectively disposed in contact with the contacts 64 and 65 of the switch blades 62 and 63 as the same are permitted to be in their innermost position by the lever 70 whereby electrical current is now supplied to the thermostat 24 in a continuous manner as long as the timer disc 46 is locked in its manual position illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13 by the lever 87.

In particular, the driven gears 34 and 37 can continue to rotate by the timer motor and while the selector disc 45 for the selector means will move in unison with its respective gear 34. The driven disc 37 rotates relative to the timer disc 46 as illustrated in FIG. 13 whereby the range timer 20 can be disposed in the manual position of FIGS. 12 and 13 as long as it is desired and the control knob 84 of the thermostat 24 can be utilized to turn on and off the oven 22 in a conventional manner for non-timed operations of the oven 22.

However, should it be desired to subsequently utilize the range timer for effecting a timed cooking operation in the future, the range timer 20 can be operated as follows.

Assuming that it is 2:00 PM. and the housewife desires the oven 22 to come on at 3:00 P.M. and effect a cooking operation in the oven 22 at a certain cooking temperature until 5:00 P.M., the housewife first utilizes the first selector means 85 by pushing inwardly on the control knob 49 thereof whereby the shaft 47 and selector disc 45 move downwardly from the position illustrated in FIG. 12 to the position illustrated in FIG. 5. However, as the disc 45 is being moved from the position illustrated in FIG. 12 to the position illustrated in FIG. 5, the outer peripheral portion 95 of the disc 45 engages against the frustconical cam surface 93 of the lever 87 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 14 and cams the lever 87 in a clockwise direction in FIGS. 4 and 5 until the outer-periphery 95 of the disc 45 is coplanar with the disc-like part 91 of the arm 89 of the lever 87 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5 so that the other arm 90 of the lever 87 has been moved to a position where not only is the smaller cylindrical part 99 of the arm 90 away from the peripheral edge 105 of the timer disc 46, but also the larger cylindrical part 98 is disposed away from the peripheral edge 105 of the timer disc 46 so that the disc 46 would be adapted to move toward the frame 28 should the tangs 43 of the driven gear 37 be in alignment with the slot means 44 of the selector disc 46 at this particular time. However, if the tangs 43 are not in alignment with the slots 44 of the disc 47, the force of the compression spring 80 merely moves the disc 46 against the outer ends of the tangs 43 of the gear 37 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

As previously stated, when the housewife pushes inwardly on the control knob 49 of the first selector means 85, the lever 70 is moved in a clockwise direction in FIG. 5 to spread the spring blades 62 and 63 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 and with the shaft 47 in its full in position, the housewife rotates the control knob 49 to set the pointer 51 at the desired time on the indicator 53 for the oven 22 to begin to automatically be turned on which, in the previously described example, is 3:00 RM. as illustrated in FIG. 1.

As the control knob 49 is being rotated in its in time selecting position to select the start time for the timer 20, it can be seen that the timer disc 45 is rotated relative to the driven gear 34 so that the slots 44 of the selector disc 45 are moved out of registry with the drive tangs 43 so that when the knob 49 is subsequently released, the force of the compression spring 75 tends to push the shaft 47 outwardly but is prevented by the timer disc 45 engaging against the outer end of the drive tangs 43 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

During such rotational movement of the timer disc 45 for selecting a start time of the timer 20, the ratchet teeth on the outer periphery 95 of disc 45 ratchet against the ratchet teeth 94 of the disc 91 of the lever 87 to provide a feel and noise to the housewife so as to indicate that she is setting the start time selector means 85.

Thereafter, the housewife sets the stop selector means 86 by grasping the knob 50 and rotating the same until the indicator 52 thereof indicates the desired stopping time of the timer 20 for terminating the cooking operation in theoven 22 which in the previous example was 5:00 P.M. as indicated in FIG. 1, the shaft 48 of the selector means 86 first being pushed inwardlyif the slots 44 of the timer disc 46 is initially in alignment with the tangs 43 of the gear 37 at the time the selector means 86 is to be set in order to clear the disc 46 from the gear 37 so that the shaft 48 and disc 46 can be rotated to its time selected position.

With the selector means 85 and 86 now in the set condition illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, it can be seen that while the contact blade 68 and 69 are spread apart to the maximum thereof by theplunger 78 of the selector means 86, the other switch blades 62 and 63 are likewise spread apart to the greatest extent thereof by the lever so that no electrical current can be supplied to the thermostat 24.

The housewife then sets the thermostat 24 through its control knob 84 to the desired temperature setting that is to be maintained in the oven 22 during the automatic cooking operation preselected by the selector means. 85 and 86.

When the actual time reaches 3:00 P.M., the start time as set by the selector means 85, the drive tangs 43 of the driven gear 34 have now been rotated to be in registry with the slots 44 of the timer disc 45 so that the timer disc 45 will immediately move toward the frame 28 by the force of the compression spring pivoting the arm 70 in a counterclockwise direction in the FIG. 5 until the disc 45 is in its innermost position against the bushing 35 as illustrated in FIG. 8 whereby the switch blades 62 and 63 are now permitted to move inwardly and place the contacts 64 and 65 thereof respectively into contact with the contacts 66 and 67 of the blades 68 and 69 so that current is now supplied to the thermostat 24 which will operate the heater means 23 to maintain the selected cooking temperature in the oven 22 as long as the timer means 20 remains in the automatic on condition illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Since the timer disc 45 is now moved away from the disc 91 of the lever 87 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 8, the tension spring 101 tends to pivot the lever 87 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4 but since the timer disc 46 of selector means 86 is being held against the ends of the drive tongues 43 of the drive gear 37, the timer disc 46 is in such a position that the outer peripheral edge 105 thereof is now engaged by the larger cylindrical part 98 of the lever 87 as illustrated in FIG. 8 so that the locking shoulder 100 of the lever 87 cannot be disposed between the disc 46 and the frame 28 as was the case when the disc .46 was set in the manual position previously described.

Thus, the thermostat 24 continues to maintain the selected cooking temperature in the oven 22 in a conventional manner until 5:00 P.M. at which time the drive tongues 43 of the drive gear 37 now come into registry with the slots 44 of the selector disc 46 whereby the compression spring will move the plunger 78 upwardly in FIG. 5 and, thus, the timer disc 46 and shaft 48 upwardly until the timer disc 46 moves against the hub 38 as illustrated in FIG. 10. With the timer disc 46 now in the position illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, it can be seen that the plunger 78 has now permitted the switch blades 68 and 69 to move toward each other to the greatest extent thereof and thereby move the contacts 66 and 67 thereof out of contact with the contacts 64 and 65 of the other switch'blades 62 and 63 whereby electrical current is now prevented from flowing to the thermostat 24 evenv though the selector knob 84 of the thermostat 24 is in an on condition thereof. Thus, no further electrical current is supplied to the heating element 23 for the oven 22 whereby the cooking operation in the oven 22 now terminated at :00 P.M. and the range timer 20 will remain in the off condition illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 until the housewife or the like sets the range timer 20 to a manual condition thereof as previously described in connection with FIGS. 12 and 13 or again selects an automatic cooking operation in the manner previously described in connection with FIGS. l7, the timer discs 45 and 46 continuing to rotate in unison with their drive gears 34 and 37 as long as the timer 20 is in its off condition as the drive tangs 43 are in the slots 44 whereby the points 51 and 52 of the selector means 85 and 86 will continuously indicate the actual time of day on the dial faces 53 and 54.

Therefore, it can be seen that the single lever means .87 of this invention readily permits the range timer20 to be set in a manual condition thereof and lock the selector disc 46 in the manual position thereof whereby the start time selector means 85 must be first moved to a time selecting position thereof to release the lever 87 from its locking condition with the timer disc 46. Thus, the start time for an automatic cooking operation must be first selected before a stop time thereof can be selected and thereby the timer 20 insure that the timer 20 will be out of its manual condition before an automatic timed cooking operation can be selected thereby.

Thus, it can be seen that an improved range timer or the like is provided by this invention.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been described and illustrated as required by the Patent Statute, it is to be understood that other forms can be utilized and still come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a range timer construction or the like having a first movable selector means for selecting a starting time for an operation of said timer and having a second movable selector means for selecting a stopping time for said operation and for selecting a manual operation of said timer, the improvement comprising a single lever pivotally carried by said timer construction and being engageable by said first and second selector means, said lever having means for locking said second selector means in the manual position thereof when said manual operation is selected thereby, said first selector means having means for engaging said lever and moving the same to an unlocking position thereof when said first selector means is moved to a time selecting position thereof whether or not a starting time is thereafter selected by said first selector means.

2. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said timer construction has spring means interconnected to said lever to tend to pivot said lever to its locking position with said second selector means.

3. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said first selector means includes an axially movable shaft carrying a timer disc, said shaft being axially movable to a time selecting position thereof and being rotatable in that time selecting position thereof for selecting said starting time of said operation, said timer disc comprising said means for engaging said lever to move said lever to said unlocking position thereof.

4. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 3, the further improvement wherein said lever has a cam surface thereon, said timer disc of said first selector means camming against said cam surface of said lever to pivot the same to its unlocking position as said shaft is being axially moved to its time selecting position.

5. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said timer disc holds said lever in its unlocking position as long as said shaft of said first selector means is in its time selecting position.

6. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said timer disc and said lever have means that ratchet with each other as said shaft of said first selector means is being rotated in said time selecting position thereof.

7. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 3, the further improvement wherein said second selector means includes an axially movable shaft carrying a timer disc, said shaft of said second selector means being axially movable to a time selecting position thereof and being rotatable in that time selecting position for selecting said stopping time, said timer construction having means for providing said manual operation when said shaft of said second selector means is axially moved to said time selecting position thereof and said shaft of said first selector means is not in said time selecting position thereof.

8. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein said lever has means for engaging against said timer disc of said second selector means to hold the same in said time selecting position thereof when said shaft of said second selector means is axially moved to said time selecting position thereof and said shaft of said first selector means is not in said time selecting position thereof.

9. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 8, the further improvement wherein said lever has an annular L-shaped shoulder that engages the outer peripheral edge of said timer disc of said second selector means and comprises said means for engaging the same.

10. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 9, the further improvement wherein said lever has opposed ends and is pivotally mounted intermediate said ends, one of said ends having said annular shoulder and the other end being engageable by said timer disc of said first selector means.

11. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said timer construction has an electrical switch means, said second selector means having means for closing said switch and holding said switch in said closed position thereof when said second selector means is moved to said manual selecting position thereof and said first selector means is in a non-time selecting position thereof.

12. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 11, the further improvement wherein said means of said second selector means also tends to create a switch closing condition when said second selector means has been moved to a selected stopping time, said first selector means having means for closing said switch when said first selector means has been set at a selected starting time and such starting time has commenced with said second selector means set at said selected stopping time.

13. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 12, the further improvement wherein I said switch means includes first movable switch blade means under the control of said last-named means of 7 said first selector means and second switch blade means under the control of said means of said second control means.

14. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 13, the further improvement wherein said last-named means of said first selector means comprises an arm pivotally mounted to said timer construca manual selecting position thereof. 

1. In a range timer construction or the like having a first movable selector means for selecting a starting time for an operation of said timer and having a second movable selector means for selecting a stopping time for said operation and for selecting a manual operation of said timer, the improvement comprising a single lever pivotally carried by said timer construction and being engageable by said first and second selector means, said lever having means for locking said second selector means in the manual position thereof when said manual operation is selected thereby, said first selector means having means fOr engaging said lever and moving the same to an unlocking position thereof when said first selector means is moved to a time selecting position thereof whether or not a starting time is thereafter selected by said first selector means.
 2. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said timer construction has spring means interconnected to said lever to tend to pivot said lever to its locking position with said second selector means.
 3. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said first selector means includes an axially movable shaft carrying a timer disc, said shaft being axially movable to a time selecting position thereof and being rotatable in that time selecting position thereof for selecting said starting time of said operation, said timer disc comprising said means for engaging said lever to move said lever to said unlocking position thereof.
 4. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 3, the further improvement wherein said lever has a cam surface thereon, said timer disc of said first selector means camming against said cam surface of said lever to pivot the same to its unlocking position as said shaft is being axially moved to its time selecting position.
 5. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said timer disc holds said lever in its unlocking position as long as said shaft of said first selector means is in its time selecting position.
 6. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said timer disc and said lever have means that rachet with each other as said shaft of said first selector means is being rotated in said time selecting position thereof.
 7. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 3, the further improvement wherein said second selector means includes an axially movable shaft carrying a timer disc, said shaft of said second selector means being axially movable to a time selecting position thereof and being rotatable in that time selecting position for selecting said stopping time, said timer construction having means for providing said manual operation when said shaft of said second selector means is axially moved to said time selecting position thereof and said shaft of said first selector means is not in said time selecting position thereof.
 8. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein said lever has means for engaging against said timer disc of said second selector means to hold the same in said time selecting position thereof when said shaft of said second selector means is axially moved to said time selecting position thereof and said shaft of said first selector means is not in said time selecting position thereof.
 9. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 8, the further improvement wherein said lever has an annular L-shaped shoulder that engages the outer peripheral edge of said timer disc of said second selector means and comprises said means for engaging the same.
 10. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 9, the further improvement wherein said lever has opposed ends and is pivotally mounted intermediate said ends, one of said ends having said annular shoulder and the other end being engageable by said timer disc of said first selector means.
 11. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said timer construction has an electrical switch means, said second selector means having means for closing said switch and holding said switch in said closed position thereof when said second selector means is moved to said manual selecting position thereof and said first selector means is in a non-time selecting position thereof.
 12. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth iN claim 11, the further improvement wherein said means of said second selector means also tends to create a switch closing condition when said second selector means has been moved to a selected stopping time, said first selector means having means for closing said switch when said first selector means has been set at a selected starting time and such starting time has commenced with said second selector means set at said selected stopping time.
 13. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 12, the further improvement wherein said switch means includes first movable switch blade means under the control of said last-named means of said first selector means and second switch blade means under the control of said means of said second control means.
 14. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 13, the further improvement wherein said last-named means of said first selector means comprises an arm pivotally mounted to said timer construction.
 15. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 13, the further improvement wherein said means of said selector means comprises a movable plunger carried by said timer construction.
 16. In a range timer construction or the like as set forth in claim 11, the further improvement wherein said switch means has means for maintaining said switch means in the open condition thereof when both of said selector means are in non-time selecting positions thereof and said second selector means is not in a manual selecting position thereof. 